A chief engineer (commonly referred to as"ChEng," "the Chief" or just "Chief") is responsible for all operations and maintenance that has to do with any and all engineering equipment throughout the entire ship. [1]

Under many jurisdictions the chief engineer is of equal rank to the captain, with responsibility being split between the two posts; the chief engineer taking responsibility for engine room and maintenance, and the captain taking responsibility for navigation and deck operations. [2]

In public works, such as for a city, county, military division, or federal program, the engineering department often has a chief engineer. This is typically shown as "Office of the Chief Engineer" in organizational charts. This person or group is separate from the other engineering offices, and functions to coordinate their activities from an engineering perspective. [3]

In large-scale product development, such as for motor vehicles or mobile phones, each product will have an assigned chief engineer. In these industries, the chief engineer is responsible for the design of the product, and coordinates the activities of all other engineers and design personnel involved in the product. [4]